Discover the Depths: 13 Jaw-Dropping Fun Facts About Greenland Sharks You Won't Believe!

1. Slow-Motion Maturation

Talk about a long journey to adulthood: Greenland sharks take nearly 150 years to grow up and hit the dating scene! Thanks to marine biologists from the University of Copenhagen, we now know that these slow-movers only grow about 1 cm each year and finally become sexually active when they've hit around 4 meters long. So, the next time you feel impatient about your own development, remember that you're a mere speedster compared to these ancient wonders that may still be recovering from pre-World War II overfishing's impact on their population.
Source => bbc.com

2. Record-Breaking Lifespan

While most sharks might be busy keeping up with the Joneses (or should we say the Jawses?), the Greenland shark prefers to play the long game, meandering through life at the pace of a leisurely arctic stroll: Turns out, this chill shark holds the record for the longest known lifespan among all vertebrates with an impressive 250 to 500 years under its belt, reaching massive sizes up to 7 meters long and 1,400 kg in weight. It snacks on a diverse menu of fish, smaller sharks, seals, and the occasional moose or reindeer leftovers, while still maintaining its "no worries" attitude and staying far from the human-threat radar.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know Anne the Shark swam a whopping 12,000 miles – a record-breaking feat – to find love across the ocean? Discover more about her incredible journey!

=> Fun Facts about Sharks

3. Couch Potato Marathoners

Don't let their sluggish façade fool you; Greenland sharks are the couch potatoes who somehow manage to run a marathon: Studies reveal that these seemingly lazy fish migrate impressive distances over centuries, prefer to mate in remote Arctic fjords, and even possess genetic similarities across populations living thousands of miles apart – all while providing crucial data on climate change, pollution, and commercial fishing impacts on our oceans.
Source => dailymail.co.uk

4. Stealthy Swimmers

As swimmers, Greenland sharks would never win Olympic gold nor catch a Speedo sponsorship deal: These leisurely marine cruisers reach top speeds of a mere 1.6 miles per hour, snatching slumbering seals who have dozed off in the water to escape polar bears, making the Greenland shark a master in the art of stealth and opportunistic feeding.
Source => wired.com

5. Seal-Stalking Soiree Crashers

It's not your grandma's Jaws: these ancient seal stalkers have been spotted tagging along with divers, as if they're preparing to crash a swanky underwater soiree. Hailing from the icy depths of Greenland, these sharks have a fondness for feasting on carrion and an array of other maritime hors d'oeuvres, but there's strong evidence indicating that seals are the scrumptious main course they crave while prowling their frosty habitat.
Source => coolantarctica.com

6. Urine-Infused Delicacy

Greenland sharks – the "urine" trouble edition of the ocean's finest: These ancient fish expel pee through their bloodstream and tissues, resulting in a body rich in urea and trimethylamine oxide. Fear not, adventurous gourmands: their meat is traditionally fermented and dried to detoxify and create a one-of-a-kind flavor deemed a delicacy by some!
Source => adventures.is

7. Superhero Sharks

Who needs Iron Man when you've got a slow-motion Jaws with a penchant for longevity and the appetite of your average superhero? Surprise: Greenland sharks are the longest-lived vertebrates on the planet, boasting lifespans exceeding 400 years, growing up to 21 feet in length, and preferring a scrumptious seal dinner despite their less-than-speedy hunting tactics.
Source => nationalgeographic.com

8. Cosmic Culinary Adventure

Who needs a trip to the moon when you can taste the stars right here on Earth? Feast your taste buds on Greenland shark, a celestial delight with a catch: only after months of drying can this cosmic creature transform from toxic to terrific! Like a leather-clad superhero, this shark has side gigs with skin perfect for leather and teeth so impressive they're used for knives. Strap in for the serious reveal: Greenland shark's raw flesh is toxic due to high levels of urea and trimethylamine oxide, but after drying for months, it becomes a Northern delicacy, with locals utilizing even the skin for leather and dental bands for knives.
Source => floridamuseum.ufl.edu

9. Scuffed-up Spectacles

Here's looking at you, sharky: In a bizarre twist of fate, Greenland sharks have permanently scuffed-up spectacles, all thanks to pesky parasites called Ommatokoita elongata that latch onto their corneas. Luckily for the shark, their eyesight isn't their strong suit when it comes to survival, and sadly for romantics, the theory that these parasites double as rave-ready bioluminescent bait remains unproven.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Glacial Pace Predators

While most fish must be schooling in underwater agility classes, the Greenland shark clearly prefers to hit the snooze button and move at a glacial pace: This lethargic swimmer has the lowest speed and tail-beat frequency for its size among all fish species, reaching a top speed of just 2.6 km/h (1.6 mph), leading biologists to surmise that it may rely on ambushing dozing seals rather than attempting a high-speed chase.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

11. Slow-Living Longevity Secrets

If you thought the secret to a long life was found at the bottom of a glass of wine, brace yourself for a fishy tale: Greenland sharks can live up to an astonishing 400 years, likely due to their slow metabolism and low body temperature, which help to put the brakes on aging.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Surf and Turf Appetite

They say slow and steady wins the race, but in the case of the Greenland shark, it's more like slow and hefty makes for a terrifying apex predator: These bulky underwater beasts not only chow down a diverse range of creatures, like small sharks, eels, and herring, but they even feast upon marine mammals like seals, porpoises and the occasional reindeer or horse part, giving a whole new meaning to "surf and turf" dining.
Source => floridamuseum.ufl.edu

13. Olympic Failures

If Olympic swimmers took inspiration from Greenland sharks, they'd probably lose every race: these sizeable sea dwellers have the lowest known swimming speed to body size ratio, averaging a leisurely pace of just one mile per hour thanks to the Arctic Ocean’s chilly waters.
Source => nbcnews.com